Taiwan officer-spy gets 12 life terms

TAIPEI – A former Taiwanese Air Force officer has been given 12 life sentences for spying for China, a court said Wednesday, adding to a lengthy list of espionage cases that have rocked the island.

Lt. Col. Yuan Hsiao-feng was convicted of passing unspecified military secrets to China between 2001 and 2007, said a High Court official. He handed the secrets to China via retired colleague Chen Wen-jen. Both men were sentenced Tuesday, with Chen receiving a 20-year prison term, the official said.

Yuan was found guilty on 12 counts of leaking secrets, each of which carries a mandatory life term, the official said.